Rotating sign



June 20, 1967 F. W. LEUTHESSER 3,325,931

ROTATING SIGN Filed Dec. l'7, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet l 20 ""7 7 jf ,24. 5/g Zvzyew'of Wed /euesef Z3 ZZ 21 HZ( United States Patent O 3,325,931ROTATING SIGN Fred W. Leuthesser, Western Springs, Ill., assignor toTel-A-Sign, Inc., a corporation of Illinois Filed Dec. 17, 1964, Ser.No. 419,033 3 Claims. (Cl. 4(i-33) This invention relates to a rotatingsign construction and more particularly is concerned with an internalrotator mechanism for use principally in an outdoor, overhead typeilluminated sign, the rotator mechanism being arranged to be locatedwithin a revolvable sign frame to move therewith.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a sign rotatingmechanism of simplified arrangement and one that is easy to maintain andrepair.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a rotator mechanismutilizing a pulley system equipped with a highly sensitive readilyadjustable belt tightener arrangement to adapt the normal driving actionto the requirements of each particular sign installation.

Still a further object of the invention is the provision of an internalrotator drive structure for a sign of the pulley and belt type andequipped with a friction adjusting spring loaded idler pulley that isyieldable in response to abnormally high belt forces occasioned byblockage of sign rotation to set up a desirable low friction slippage ofthe belt and relieve the drive.

Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent fromthe following description and claims, and are illustrated in theaccompanying drawings which show structure embodying preferred featuresof the present invention and the principles thereof, and what is nowconsidered to be the best mode in which to apply these principles.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and inwhich like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout thesame:

FIG. 1 is a generalized perspective view of a rotating sign embodied asa typical outdoor overhead illuminated type;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the rotating sign frameand illustrating a preferred internally mounted rotator mechanismconstructed in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 2A is a fragmentary detail view taken on the line 2A-2A of FIG. 2;

FIG. 3 is a plan View taken approximately on the line 3 3 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of an adjustable idler pulleyarrangement utilized in accordance with this invention and is taken onthe line 4 4 of FIG. 3.

Referring now to the drawings and particularly to FIG. 1 thereof, a sign10 is illustrated here for purposes of disclosure as being of an outdooroverhead illuminated type and it includes a stationary base frame 11carried at the top of a tubular mast 12 and a revolvable sign 13 locatedwithin a central window 11W defined by the base frame 11 and supportedin rotatable relation upon the base frame 11. The base frame 11, asillustrated herein, has the configuration of a sign to serve inconjunction with the rotatable sign 13 but it will be apparent that therotatable sign 13 may be mounted as the sole element at the top of themast 12 or may be mounted in various other arrangements familiar tothose skilled in this art.

In the preferred constructional embodiment shown herein for purposes ofillustrative disclosure the base frame 11 has upper and lower horizontalrails 11U and 11L, respectively, bordering and partially defining themounting window 11W for the rotating sign 13. In this particularconstruction, the rotating sign has a generally 3,325,931 Patented .lune20, 1967 rectangular frame having upper and lower frame rails 13U and131s, respectively, and a pair of vertical rails 13V suitablyinterlocked to form a rigid framework, For larger size rotating frames,a bearing 14 may be employed between the upper rails 11U and 13U of thebase frame and rotating frame to stabilize the rotatable mounting.

As is apparent in FIG. 2, fiuorescent lamps 15 and 16 of variousconfigurations are housed within the rotating sign 13 to be energizedfrom a supply cable 17 that extends upwardly through the mast 12.

In the arrangement disclosed herein the upper end of the mast 12terminates in the lower rail 11U of the base frame which is alsoconfigured to receive and support a stationary shaft 20 (see FIG. 2A)that is aligned with the upper bearing 14 and defines the axis ofrotation for the rotating sign. The lower end of the shaft 20 is rigidlyaffixed to and supported on a base plate 21 nested within the lower rail11L of the base frame and the shaft projects in journalled relationthrough bearing elements 22 that are contained within a bearing housing23 that is rigidly fixed to the lower rail 13L of the rotating sign 13.

The rotator mechanism is contained entirely within the rotating sign 13and includes coplanar driven and slave pullies 24 and 25, respectively,engaged by a belt loop 26 and adjustably engaged under the control of afriction idler pulley 27. A drive motor 28 for powering the sign 13 isshown alongside the drive pulley and it is connected through ahorizontally elongated gear box 29 to rotate the drive pulley 24 at agreatly reduced speed. The gear box 29 is nested within a U-sha-pedre-enforcing channel 30 that is mounted on the lower rail 13L of therotating sign to serve as a common horizontal support structure formounting the parts of the rotator mechanism that are to be carried bythe rotating sign frame.

Since the motor 23 is located within a chamber that is completelyenclosed by the sign 13, it is self-sealed and for proper cooling, it isequipped with a hood 31 having a screen 31S across its upper end toprovide for flow of air induced by a fan blade ZSF mounted at the upperend of the motor shaft 28S. In FIG. 2, the motor shaft 28S is shownentering the lefthand end of the horizontally elongated gear box 29while the right-hand end of the gear box 29 has an output shaft 29Sdrivingly connected to the drive pulley 2d which is supported upon achannelshaped cross brace 32 (see FIG. 3) that has side fianges 32Pequipped with mounting bolts 32B that are engaged in horizontallyelongated slots 32S to permit varying the position of the drive pulley24 thus facilitating installation and removal of the belt loop 26, thedrive pulley 24, the motor 28 or the gear box 29 where desired.

The slave pulley 2S is mounted fast upon the shaft 26 and la multiplering commutator cylinder 33 is located above and aligned with the slavepulley 25 and is also stationary. A multiple brush unit 34 is mountedwithin a cover element 35 for the commutator 33. The cover 35 is carriedat the upper end of a mounting bracket 36 that is secured to the bearinghousing 23 to rotate with the sign 13 and cause the brush unit 34 andhousing 35 also to rotate with the sign 13.

The wires 17 lead through the lower rail 13L, the stationary shaft 20which is tubular, and connect to the commutator 33 in the usual fashion.Electrical connection Wires tapped from the brush unit 34 are carried ina conduit -37 which exists from the housing 35 and passes downwardlythrough the center of the belt loop 26 and then extends along beneaththe belt unit to lead to appropriate energizing sockets for thefluorescent lamps 15 and 16 and for the motor. There is particularadvantage in this arrangement in that the belt loop 26 is notinterlocked with the cable loop thus making possible removal of the beltloop merely by release of the mounting bolts 32B for the support bracket32. The belt is called upon in the disclosed arrangement to function asa slip-friction element in the event the rotating sign becomesobstructed and the possible wear to which the belt is exposed makes itdesirable that belt replacement be as simple as possible.

Finally, the idler pulley 27 is arranged upon a support bracket 38 whichspans the main horizontal support channel 30 as shown in FIG. 4. Thesupport bracket 38 has a slot 38S oriented crosswise of the belt loop 26and the idler pulley 27 is rotatable about the shank 39S of a bolt 39that extends in guided relation through this slot 38S. The bolt shank39S is equipped with a pair of nuts 449 and 41 to permit fixedadjustment of the pressure` so that slideable movement of the idlerpulley 27 may be accommodated without sacrificing a stable mountingtherefor. The bolt 39 extends through a pair of washers 42 and 43 tofacilitate slideable and rotatable mounting of the idler pulley 27 fromits support bracket 38.

A tension spring 44 has one end anchored to a screw at the far side ofthe support bracket 38 and has its other end hooked to the upstandingflange 45E on a slide plate 45, normally to yieldably bias the idlerpulley 27 into belt tightening engagement with the tensioned reach 26Tof the belt which is upstream and hence approaching the drive pulley 24.The slack reach 26S of the belt loop is normally free of substantialbelt loads.

The action of the idler pulley in relation to the tensioned reach 26T ofthe belt accommodates a broad range of adjustment and permits asensitive adjustment of the drive action of the rotator mechanism.Moreover, in the event of blockage of sign rotation the idler pulley 27may easily yield in response to the abnormally high belt forces whichwill cause elongation of the tension spring 44 and permit the tensionedreach 26T of the belt to straighten out from its formerly distortinglyelongated conguration. The straightening of the tensioned reach of thebelt results in the development of low friction slippage of the beltrelative to the drive pulley 24 so that the sign rotatingforces aremarkedly reduced. This saves the equipment against the hazards ofburn-out due to blockage of the sign.

Thus, while preferred constructional features of the invention areembodied in the structure illustrated herein, it is to be understoodthat changes and variations may be made by those skilled in the artwithout departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Rotatormechanisrn for a revolvable sign frame and including a slavepulley fast on a stationary shaft that projects into said sign frame, aU-shaped supporting structure within said sign frame having opposedelongated slots therein, a drive pulley coplanar with said slave pulleyand journalled on said sign frame to rotate about an axis parallel tosaid shaft, said drive pulley being mounted on a bracket means adaptedto be adjustably secured to said U-shaped supporting structure throughsaid opposed elongated slots, a belt engaged about said pulleys, a motorsupported on said sign frame and connected to rotate said drive pulley,thereby to rotate said sign frame about said slave pulley, With saidlbelt having one reach thereof under tension and the other reach thereoffree during such rotation of the sign frame, a friction idler pulleycoplanar with said slave and drive pulleys and movably mounted on saidU-shaped supporting structure for engagement with saidone reach of thebelt, and resilient means biasing said idler pulley into engagement withsaid belt in a direction normally to distortingly elongate said onereach and maintain rotating drive of said sign, said resilient meansbeing yieldable in response to abnormally high belt 4*. forcesoccasioned by blockage of rotation of said sign to allow straighteningof said one reach and consequent low friction slippage of said beltrelative to said drive pulley.

2. In a sign having a stationary support shaft and a sign framerotatably mounted thereon, rotator mechanism mounted within said signframe and including a slave pulley fast on said support shaft, aU-shaped supporting structure within said sign frame having opposedelongated slots therein, a drive pulley journalled on said sign frametorotate about an axis parallel to said shaft, said drive pulley beingmounted on a bracket means adapted to be adjustably secured to saidU-shaped supporting structure through said opposed elongated slots, amotor mounted on said sign frame alongside said drive pulley anddrivingly connected to said drive pulley from underneath thereof, afriction idler pulley coplanar with said slave and drive pulleys andmovably mounted on said U-shaped supporting structure, a belt engagedabout said pulleys to drive said sign frame upon rotation of said drivepulley, spring means biasing said idler pulley into engagement with saidbelt in a direction to maintain rotating drive of said sign, said springmeans being yieldable in response to abnormally high belt forcesoccasioned by blockage of rotation of said sign to allow low frictionslippage of said belt relative to said drive pulley, a multiple-ringcommutator mounted stationary with said shaft along the axis thereof, amultiple-brush unit in electrically connecting cooperation with saidcommutator and mounted in fixed relation to said sign frame to rotate inunison therewith, power supply lwires extending through said shaft andadapted to energize said commutator, and internal wires connected tosaid brush unit and leading vertically through said belt and adapted toenergize said motor.

3.,In a sign having a stationary support shaft and a sign framerotatably mounted thereon, said sign frame having a U-shaped horizontalsupport structure having an intermediate opening'through which saidshaft projects, rotator mechanism for mounting internally of said signframe andcomprising a slave pulley fast on said shaft, a shallow gearbox mounted on said U-shaped support structure in spaced relation tosaid motor drivingly connected to said gear box adjacent one endthereof, afirst bracket spanning said U-shaped support structure andbeing removably and adjustably mounted thereto and having a drive pulleycoplanar with said slave pulley mounted in driven relation to said gearbox above the other end thereof, a belt loop engaged about said pulleysto effect rotation of said sign frame in response to rotation of saiddrive pulley, with one loop of said belt beingunder tension and theother loop being free during such rotation, a second bracket spanningsaid U-shaped support structure crosswise of said belt loop, a frictionidler pulley mounted for movement relative to said bracket in adirection crosswise of said belt loop and in the plane thereof, andresilient means normally biasingv said idler pulley into belt tighteningengagement with said one reach of the belt `and yieldable in response toabnormally high belt forces occasioned by Iblockage of rotation of saidsign to allow straightening of said one reach.'

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,741,861 4/1956 Roe e 40-332,911,744 11/1959 Schulenburg 40-33 EUGENE R. CAPOZIO, Primary Examiner.

W. GRIEB, Assistant Examiner.

slave pulley, a drive

1. ROTATOR MECHANISM FOR A REVOLVABLE SIGN FRAME AND INCLUDING A SLAVEPULLEY FAST ON A STATIONARY SHAFT THAT PROJECTS INTO SAID SIGN FRAME, AU-SHAPED SUPPORTING STRUCTURE WITHIN SAID SIGN FRAME HAVING OPPOSEDELONGATED SLOTS THEREIN, A DRIVE PULLEY COPLANAR WITH SAID SLAVE PULLEYAND JOURNALLED ON SAID SIGN FRAME TO ROTATE ABOUT AN AXIS PARALLEL TOSAID SHAFT, SAID DRIVE PULLEY BEING MOUNTED ON A BRACKET MEANS ADAPTEDTO BE ADJUSTABLY SECURED TO SAID U-SHAPED SUPPORTING STRUCTURE THROUGHSAID OPPOSED ELONGATED SLOTS, A BELT ENGAGED ABOUT SAID PULLEYS, A MOTORSUPPORTED ON SAID SIGN FRAME AND CONNECTED TO ROTATE SAID DRIVE PULLEY,THEREBY TO ROTATE SAID SIGN FRAME ABOUT SAID SLAVE PULLEY, WITH SAIDBELT HAVING ONE REACH THEREOF UNDER TENSION AND THE OTHER REACH THEREOFFREE DURING SUCH ROTATION OF THE SIGN FRAME, A FRICTION IDLER PULLEYCOPLANAR WITH SAID SLAVE AND DRIVE PULLEYS AND MOVABLY MOUNTED ON SAIDU-SHAPED SUPPORTING STRUCTURE FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID ONE REACH ONE OFTHE BELT, AND RESILIENT MEANS BIASING SAID IDLER PULLEY INTO ENGAGEMENTWITH SAID BELT IN A DIRECTION NORMALLY TO DISTORTINGLY ELONGATE SAID ONEREACH AND MAINTAIN ROTATING DRIVE OF SAID SIGN, SAID RESILIENT MEANSBEING YIELDABLE IN RESPONSE TO ABNORMALLY HIGH BELT FORCES OCCASIONED BYBLOCKAGE OF ROTATION OF SAID SIGN TO ALLOW STRAIGHTENING OF SAID ONEREACH AND CONSEQUENT LOW FRICTION SLIPPAGE OF SAID BELT RELATIVE TO SAIDDRIVE PULLEY.